“It feels pretty good. I’m decently happy with how the race played out, it was pretty much what I wanted, just kind of get out into my lead and just be able to maintain that, make a gap and expand on that gap throughout the race,” Apperson said. “My time was pretty awful actually, I’m not happy with it. I thought it was going to be a lot better but the course is different this year so I’m still waiting to see how the other races play out and how the times compare to years prior.”

The course was modified this year and Apperson felt it made the course more spectator friendly, but would have raced the course a bit differently if he had another year to run it again.

“I don’t know, maybe just go out a little bit slower to be able to account for all the hills on the second half of the race because it was a different course so it’s frustrating that it was the same course my freshman through junior years and then my senior year, they change it,” Apperson said. “I may have just gone out slower if I were able to run it again, save some energy for the second half of the race.”

After winning the district championship a week ago in Onalaska, Apperson said he wanted to leave it all out there in his senior year race, and believes he did just that.

“I do feel like I did that. I’m pretty happy with the effort I was able to put out and I’m happy to come away with the win,” Apperson said. “It was definitely a goal since I was a freshman to be able to win my junior and senior year and I’m happy I was able to accomplish that. Cross country is more about placing than times, so I just try to remember that anyways.”

He’s happy to be bringing back a state title to Adna once again.

“It’s awesome. I love being able to represent my school and win another state title and hopefully our soccer and football team can do the same thing,” Apperson said. “It means the world to me, it’s awesome.”

Apperson wasn’t the only local competitor to have a strong showing at state. Toledo’s Nicholas Marty finished 10th with a time of 17:02. Onalaska’s Zachary Wright finished in 22nd with a time of 17:28.

Morton-White Pass’ Asher Sympson finished 56th with a time of 18:15 and teammate Manuel Martinez placed 65th with a time of 18:22. Adna’s Matthew Scheuber earned 70th place with a time of 18:29.

Mossyrock’s Gunner Mulligan finished in 91st place with a time of 18:45 and teammate James Cushman earned 108th place in 19:04. MWP’s David Martinez earned 95th place with a time of 18:51 and teammate Alex Brown completed the race in 19:35. Napavine’s Caleb Perz Stewart finished 139th with a time of 20:06.

MWP’s Garret Clevenger earned 146th with a time of 20:43, Tristen Stuart placed 151st with a time of 21:50 and teammate Tom Almquist finished 152nd with a time of 21:56.

Northwest Christian (Lacey) won the team title.

1B/2B Girls

Mossyrock’s Sarah Lovan completed her final prep cross country season with a 14th place finish in the State 1B/2B girls cross country race.

Lovan finished with a time of 20:46. Adna’s Lauryn Apperson finished in 36th place with a time of 21:59.

Morton-White Pass’ Kaylen Collette finished in 41st with a time of 22:09 and teammate Alissa Hughes placed 86th with a time of 24:10. Toledo’s Ashley White finished 73rd with a time of 23:23 and teammate Greenlee Clark earned 87th place with a time of 24:12.

Liberty Bell’s Novie McCabe won the race and Liberty Bell earned the team title.

2A

Centralia’s Makayla Erickson placed 103rd in the State 2A girls cross country race.

Erickson completed the race in 22 minutes, 12 seconds. Teammate Brynna Rooklidge placed 112th with a time of 22:27.

Washougal’s Amelia Pullen won the race with a time of 18:04 and West Valley (Spokane) captured the team title.

In the boys race, W.F. West’s Francisco Lima finished in 70th place with a time of 17:23. Teammate Henry Robbins placed 107th with a time of 17:53.

Pullman’s Eliason Kabasenche won the race and Sehome won the team title.